


Attempts At Comfort

by wisdomandwit



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-28
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-10 17:38:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2034030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisdomandwit/pseuds/wisdomandwit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The asset known as the Winter Soldier had many skills. However, comforting a clearly upset Brock Rumlow was not one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Attempts At Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this [prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/19458.html?thread=46211074#t46211074) because reasons.

The mission was a simple one. Rumlow was to escort him to the base where the Asset would track down the two scientists that HYDRA had taken an interest in that were being held there. The other three scientists were to be disposed of before he was to head out. From there was he was to call for Rumlow and together they were to take the scientists in tow to the extraction point thirty minutes East of where the base was located. It was a simple plan and was meant to be a simple mission, but the Asset had his doubts about such a thing. From where he sat by their weapons waiting to reach the drop off, an obvious hazard to the mission made itself clear.

Everything about the agent was off and that concerned him. The mission called for Rumlow to be on top of things and completely focused, two things he definitely wasn’t despite what he may have told Pierce. There was a distant look in the man’s eyes and a hesitation that passes in a fraction of a second as he loaded his weapon. Neither were common from what he had noted of the other, but both were potentially fatal under the circumstances they faced as soon as the plane arrived at the location.

He watched the S.T.R.I.K.E. member as Rumlow stared at his lap. Even knowing that nothing lay outside the window of the plane other than clouds and darkness, he could still tell the man is thinking about something other than the mission. It was in the tension of his shoulders and the way his lips pursed from the tension in his jaw.

Such a manner wasn’t one the Asset was used to seeing on the agent. That kind of behaviour was reserved for the expendable HYDRA members who were sent out too green or for those unfamiliar with travelling alongside the Asset. Rumlow was neither of those and yet that did nothing to stop the man from swearing under his breath as his finger slipped as he returned from whatever thoughts plagued him to the cold space of the plane.

As he watched Rumlow obviously try to shake off the thoughts that troubled him unsuccessfully, he came to a decision. Rising from his seat, he walked over to Rumlow and stood in front of him. It did’t take long for the man to look up at him. The annoyance and confusion apparent on his face was something that he could relate to in the moment. Still, he was trying to placate the other, so he promptly laid his hand on Rumlow’s shoulder.

The agent looked at the human hand and then back at the Asset. “What the hell are you doing? Something wrong with your programming?”

“You’re upset and distracted. This is what other agents do when one is upset.”

Rumlow glanced at his hand again before the process seemed to sink in. With a rather bemused look, he snorted at him. “You trying to comfort me?”

He nodded without hesitation. The other agents did it with each other after one of them tended to get hurt or killed on a mission. The Asset could only hope that such behaviour would work as a method of preventative measures. “Would you like to talk?” He asked, having heard the question spring up during such moments.

“I’d rather not strain your vocabulary skills,” Rumlow said as he knocked away the hand on his shoulder. Had he been another agent, he was certain Rumlow might’ve reacted more violently. However, the Asset didn’t react to the aggressive behavior and Rumlow still didn’t break eye contact with him just in case the Asset decided to react. He simply leaned back in his seat as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Why the hell do you care if something is bothering me anyways? The nerds in the science department trying to turn you into a real boy?”

“I don’t want you botching the mission because Pierce requires that information and you making even one mistake or hesitating for a second seems as though it could result in the death of the wrong person,” he explained coldly. It wasn’t the proper protocol for comfort, he knew that, but Rumlow didn’t want to be comforted.  “I have a mission here and I won’t allow you to ruin it.”

“So caring,” the man scoffed. Sighing softly, he nodded back toward where the Asset had previously been sitting. “Well, you can sit back down. I’m fine.”

“That’s a lie. You’re distant and tense. And while an orgasm might relieve the tension, it won’t make you any less distant and distracted, which is my primary concern.”

“You want me to promise not to ruin the mission?” He barked.

If he had had it within himself, the Asset might have smiled at the question. However, amusement was not something HYDRA required of him. “Promises mean nothing. I want you focused. Now.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t work like that. Now sit back down.”

He did as he was told without hesitation. Sitting down next to Rumlow, he rested his hands in his lap as he waited for the rest of the trip to pass. Perfectly still and not making a sound as he was meant to be outside of his orders. Besides, Rumlow clearly didn’t want to talk and the Asset didn’t want to push him.

Nearly resigned to hoping for the best, the sound of the man letting out a frustrated sigh was unexpected. Still, the Asset didn’t turn to him as he stared unblinkingly ahead until Rumlow gently nudged him to get his attention.

When he looked over at the man, Rumlow stared at his seriously and said, “I’m not going to fuck up the mission, alright? I know how to do my job when it matters.”

The Asset nodded. “Good.”

“Great.”

With that said, both of them went back to their waiting. The Asset staring straight ahead calmly and Rumlow, less tense and more focused as he grabbed the mission briefing and started to re-read it. So long as the agent was dedicated to the mission for the time being, the Asset was willing to consider his attempts at comforting the man a success.

 


End file.
